Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) revealed today that the probe into Chief Criminal Judge Abdulla Mohamed's detention in Kaafu Atoll Girifushi for 22 days has determined that attempts had been made to force the Judge to commit actions in violation of fundamental human rights.
Half a page of the investigation report into the detention of Judge Abdulla despite local international pressure during former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration had been revealed to the media today.
Speaking during a press conference, HRCM President Mariyam Azra stressed that Judge Abdulla had not been subject to any form of physical abuse while in detention.
However, she added that the investigation had showed that attempts had been made to force his removal from the post and send him abroad. Though the Commission had stated that efforts had been made to coerce the Judge to commit certain actions through influence, no further details had been revealed today.
HRCM further stressed that Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) had arrested and subsequently detained the Chief Criminal Judge in clear violation of the constitutional laws and international covenants for freedom and human rights.
“As the Commission believes that the people involved in the arrest, detention and violation of the rights of Judge Abdulla must be held accountable for their actions, a request has been to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office to take necessary action,” Azra said.
Despite questions from journalists, the names of the people responsible had not been shared with the media. Commission explained that as the case was currently in court, it had decided against stating names.
However, the PG’s office has charged former President Nasheed, former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu, former Chief of Defence Force Moosa Ali Jaleel, the Male area Commander at the time of the Judge’s arrest Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi and Colonel Mohamed Ziyad over the detention of Judge Abdulla Mohamed.
While revealing the investigation report, Azra also said that as the probe had determined that the various people who had issued and obeyed the illegitimate orders in relation to the case must be held accountable to varying extents, the relevant authorities had been requested to take due action against the offenders.
In response to the question of the holdup in publicizing the report, Azra said that the report had been intentionally delayed as it was deemed that the report might influence an ongoing trial. However, HRCM failed to confirm the scheduled date to publish the full report forwarded to the relevant authorities.
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